A controversial pilot scheme which will see the GP out of hours service withdrawn from Rhondda and the Cynon Valley has been given approval.

The decision to remove the service from Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda and Ysbyty Cwm Cynon and centralise it at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Talbot Green and Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil was made today at a public meeting of Cwm Taf University Health Board.

Allison Williams, chief executive of the health board, said the pilot scheme would be launched for three months in the first instance.

She said: “The shortage of GPs has presented an ongoing challenge for Cwm Taf for several years and this is no different to the position across Wales and indeed the rest of the UK.

“The availability of GPs to staff the out of hours (OOH) service continues to be a challenge and it is becoming increasingly difficult to staff all four centres.”

On hearing the news, Councillor Pauline Jarman, leader of Plaid Cymru in RCT, expressed her concern and said the decision “flies in the face” of a pledge given to the people of Cynon Valley that the primary care services would be localised and delivered from Ysbyty Cwm Cynon.

She added: “There couldn’t be a worse time to consider relocating the service with the onset of the winter. Transport from Cynon to Merthyr during daytime hours is poor but at night it is non-existent.

“This could put an extra burden on an already over stretched ambulance service. The residents of Cynon will feel very let down.“

Councillor Geraint Davies, who represents Treherbert, added: “This is a very disturbing development for residents of the Rhondda and Cynon. We have already lost enough and I believe this is a step too far.”

However the health board maintains access to the service will remain “unchanged”.

Its chief executive added: “Patients will still be required to telephone the OOH service where they will be triaged and directed to the appropriate service to meet their clinical needs.

“This will not change and neither will the support with transport if the patient is eligible.

“Patients will be seen more quickly, but of even greater importance is that the sickest patients will be seen and treated as a matter of priority.

“We have and will continue to do everything possible to increase the number of GPs working in the OOH service.

“However the overriding priority must be to provide sustainable services across Cwm Taf. We cannot keep four OOH centres open if we cannot staff them.

“We intend to pilot the new system for three months. We are still finalising arrangements with our staff so do not as yet have a confirmed start date for the piloting of the new model.”